


On Silver Wings

by EvieFuller



Series: Half-Baked Ideas. [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Inheritance Cycle - Christopher Paolini
Genre: Female Harry Potter, Rider Harry Potter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-22
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-04-26 02:21:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14392200
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EvieFuller/pseuds/EvieFuller
Summary: Ari looked around at her unfamiliar surroundings before turning to lock eyes with the silver dragon hatchling. "What the Hell have I gotten myself into now?"





	1. A New Companion

Ari Potter stared at the large smoking stone that had suddenly appeared before her in the forest clearing in stunned surprise. 

"What the Hell?" she murmured, fingering the straps of her leather backpack which was filled with her magical tent and a veritable hoard of books on curse breaking and healing. 

The young witch had been traveling the world for the past few months working as a kind of treasure hunter for rare magical artifacts and potions ingredients. It was not a job that she ever would have envisioned for herself back at Hogwarts, but the time spent hunting horcruxes last year had given her a taste for this lifestyle. Not that Ari in any way desired the search for Voldemort’s missing soul pieces to still be ongoing. The constant terror of the war and the imperative to remain hidden at all times were things she could do without. Not to mention the depressive effect of the locket horcrux itself. 

But the hunt had been invigorating: the feeling of outsmarting a man Hell bent on protecting his treasures; the thrill of discovery when they found the ancient, powerful objects Voldemort had used as his soul containers; the satisfaction of solving the puzzles laid out before her. And, unlike Ron and Hermione, Ari had actually enjoyed the camping aspect of their quest. If living out of a magical tent with all the amenities of the modern world could be considered “camping.”

Her new job gave her all of that and more. For the first time in her life, Ari felt like she had finally found something that she was good at. In school, she had always worked hard and made good grades, and she had a mountain of magical power to perform even the toughest of spells her mentors threw at her, but the passion was lacking. Now, her life felt like an adventure every day—the good kind, not the kind she had had back in school with a psycho trying to kill her every year. 

Ari scooted closer to the stone cautiously, curiosity peeked. The rock was egg shaped and nearly a foot long, and it exuded a kind of wild, untamed magic that Ari had never felt before. Pulling out her wand, Ari began casting a multitude of detection spells, growing increasingly intrigued as they picked up no enchantments. 

Finally, after nearly half an hour of spell casting, the 18 year old decided it was safe to pick the stone up for a more hands on examination. It was a beautiful shining silver, dotted over with spots of green so dark they were almost black. The stone was also unnaturally smooth, and Ari could not understand how it could have gotten that way without the help of humans, but the only magic she could sense seemed to be inherent to the gem itself, and no muggle machine would have been able to alter a magical artifact as powerful as this. 

Curiouser and curiouser. 

Slowly, Ari extended her magic to probe at the stone in her hands, ready to retreat at any sign of threat. As she mentally poked at the gem, the magic in the stone seemed to perk up, and Ari paused, surprised at the sentient feeling she was getting from the power. Reaching out further, she cast her curiosity down the link, and a slight smile spread across her face as innocent interest was returned. It felt almost like a child poking at her to see if she was as soft as she looked. 

Ari’s eyes widened as awareness abruptly overtook her. This was no stone—it was an egg! And whatever was in there, it was sophisticated enough to examine her magically. Excitement coursed through her. She may not be as fanatical about magical creatures as Hagrid, but she still found them fascinating, and to her knowledge, there was no known magical creature alive today capable of interacting with the outside world from within its egg. 

Another prod came from the egg, the power reaching out and surrounding her, probing at her heart and mind, and Ari froze, panicking slightly as she suddenly realized that whatever creature resided in the egg had the potential to be incredibly dangerous, and in her excitement, she had opened herself up completely. The only thing stopping her from flinging the egg away in fear was the almost soothing emotions coming from the creature’s magic. 

Almost as quickly as the examination had started, it stopped, the waves of wild magic retreating back into the egg, and Ari stared at it, puzzled. Then, just as Ari was about to reach out for a second time, the egg vibrated in her hands very slightly, and Ari could have sworn she heard a high pitched squeal reverberate from inside the shell. 

It washed over her, almost indistinguishable from her own thoughts and feelings. Desire to escape, to find some way to break through the hard walls trapping her and be free. Free to feel the heat and fire and wind. She would be King of the Skies! If she could just make this stubborn shell crack! 

The young witch stared at the silver egg dumbfounded as the baby’s emotions continued to prod at her consciousness. The damn thing wanted to hatch!

Glancing around, Ari spotted a soft patch of moss and carefully placed the egg down, figuring it was best not to be holding the baby animal right when it hatched. There was no telling what was coming out of that thing. 

Well, no. That wasn’t strictly accurate. The egg had been growing steadily hotter in her hands before she set it down, so it was probably some kind of fire lizard. Either that or a phoenix, though Ari figured fire lizard was a lot more likely. 

Feeling the little creature’s struggle through whatever connection she had managed to establish with the animal, Ari remembered what Hagrid had told her back in First Year shortly after Norberta hatched. Most fire-based magical creatures needed a whole lot of heat for a healthy birth (hence Hagrid cooking the dragon egg over his fire). Usually that heat would be provided by the parents, but seeing as the egg had randomly appeared before her, Ari figured it was probably up to her to help out. She felt oddly compelled to ensure that whatever was coming out of that egg stayed safe. 

"Incendio," she cast, gradually increasing the amount of fire when she felt pleasure and renewed energy flow into her mind. 

She took a few steps back and crouched down to watch with avid interest as cracks began to appear along the egg’s flaming surface. Another high pitched squeak came, this one not muffled by the egg’s shell, and a little silver snout poked out of a newly formed hole before quickly retreating again. Then a small paw appeared through the hole, sharp little black claws working to chip away at more of the shell. 

Ari grinned as the little creature finally managed to tear a big enough opening in the egg and its diminutive silver body came tumbling out ungracefully. 

"A dragon?" She stared, nonplussed. It was no breed of dragon she recognized, which made sense given its level of sentience, but a dragon was definitely not what she was expecting to emerge from that egg. "Bloody Hell."

The baby dragon looked over at the sound of her voice, locking its dark jade eyes with her lighter emerald eyes, and it squeaked excitedly, attempting to take several stumbling steps in her direction before tripping on its uncoordinated legs. 

Ari suddenly wondered if the winged creature was imprinting on her. She remembered that had happened with Norberta back in first year. Charlie had later explained that it had taken a great deal of effort to get the young Rhodesian Ridgeback to accept any food from the handlers in Romania, the dragon not trusting anyone other than its mummy Hagrid. 

The hatchling cheeped at her imploringly, and Ari found herself helpless to do anything other than walk towards it, hand carefully outstretched. She barely had time to admire the dragon’s shining silver scales, each metallic plate like a bright star tipped in dark, shimmering jade, before the creature’s small snout connected with her right palm, and searing pain shot through her body. 

Across dimensions and in a world far away, powerful forces turned, pulling the hatchling back to the land from whence it came, and dragging its new rider back with it. They had worked frantically to locate the recalcitrant egg, which had disappeared unexpectedly, but satisfaction arose at this result. Yes, she would do nicely. The hatchling had chosen well. Just a bit longer, and they could rest from this unexpected recovery mission. 

Ari awoke a short time later, feeling the soreness of her muscles as she shifted slightly. 

"The Hell happened?" she croaked, putting a hand to her aching head and slowly squinting her eyes open. She jerked slightly, noticing the baby dragon perched on her chest, and the little thing tilted its head inquisitively. She flinched a second time as she felt something wild and ancient, yet incredibly young brush up against her mind, and she reached instinctively towards her occlumency barriers to block it out before the sensation of complete and utter rightness registered, stopping her defenses in their tracks. This was no invasion of her mind. It was a meeting of souls, and it ran far deeper than the emotional pings she had been able to feel when the dragon was still in its egg. 

"What the Hell happened?" she questioned again, staring back at the hatchling who was watching her with bright jade eyes, and a feeling of adoration flowed over her from the link. She smiled softly at the innocent emotion and reached up to run her fingers over the baby dragon’s forehead and along one sharp, black horn. From the tip of the horn jutting off the back of the baby’s head, positioned more like a protective extra barrier over the hatchling’s neck rather than an instrument to stab, she trailed her fingers along the small black spikes running the length of the dragon’s spine. 

"That’s you, isn’t it? Bloody Hell, you’re…incredible," she whispered, awed at the bond she could feel in her soul and amazed at the complexity of the emotions she could sense over their link. Proud contentment flowed back to her when the hatchling felt her wonder, and she chuckled as the pint-sized reptile settled in and began to purr. 

Looking away from the hatchling, Ari brought her hand up to examine her palm, which was the only part of her body still actively throbbing with pain. She stared, resigned at yet another scar to add to her collection. "At least this one’s sorta pretty," she thought, unlike the now faded lightning bolt cutting through the outer edge of her right eyebrow or the jagged bite mark near her left shoulder, among others. This new scar on her palm was shaped in the form of an oval spiral, and it seemed to almost glow with a dim silver light. 

While the new rider had been examining her unusual branding, the magic in the air around her had been growing steadily thicker, but it took wariness sliding over the bond from the young dragon for Ari to notice the potential danger. She stood up slowly, perching the little magical creature on her shoulder, and examined her surroundings with a new alertness. 

This was not the forest she had been in before she had blacked out after touching the dragon. 

Searching quickly for her wand, Ari was dismayed to notice it lying a few feet away, quite obviously snapped, and she began to frantically attempt to think of a way to escape the area without triggering the gathering power. Without a wand, apparition was out, but she doubted she and her draconian companion would have any luck running if this energy turned on them. Still though, they didn’t exactly have a ton of options.

Ari tensed her muscles and sprung into action, darting towards a deer path to her right, but the small dragon’s black claws had barely had time to dig into her shoulder before they were both frozen in place. 

"Peace!" A multitude of alien voices rang through her mind, easily sweeping aside any occlumency barriers she had had in place. 

Primal instinct shouted at her to struggle, but Ari fought the panic back with iron will. Panting harshly, she attempted to locate the source of the voices and power, but she could sense nobody in her immediate vicinity. 

"Peace Young One, you are safe," the voices said, before continuing in a strange language, "Vae weohnata néiat haina ono." For some reason, Ari found herself relaxing completely after the incomprehensible words were spoken, knowing deep in her bones that this power meant her no harm. 

"Who are you?" She called out, but instead of answering the voices continued as though she had not spoken. 

"Listen closely. You have been chosen, Ariel of House Potter, and now our hope and the hope of all Alagaësia, must rest in you. When the time draws near for you to face the Oathbreaker and your strength seems insufficient, go to the Rock of Kuthian and speak your name to open the Vault of Souls." 

"Rock of Kuthian? What the?" Ari mumbled, brow furrowed in confusion. "Wait!" She called out more clearly as she felt the magic begin to withdraw, but it was too late, the power was fading rapidly, and it did not pause for even a second at her shout. Within moments, she and the silver dragon hatchling were alone. 

Ari looked around at her unfamiliar surroundings again before turning to lock eyes with her new bonded partner. "What the Hell have I gotten myself into now?"

Her only response was a tilted head and a feeling of curiosity and excitement over their link.


	2. A Name

Ari heaved a resigned sigh as she stooped to pick up her broken wand. The holly wood was cracked in two uneven splinters, connected only by the flaming red phoenix feather that had previously been encased within the shards. She had some spello-tape in her backpack, but she didn’t have much hope the stuff would work any better for her now than it had for Ron back in second year.

"I blame you for this mess you know," Ari muttered to the baby dragon, grinning in reluctant amusement when the little thing merely turned its nose up haughtily before attempting to pounce on a shiny blue beetle and tripping on uncoordinated legs. "We are going to have to work on your landing if we ever want you to be able to scare anyone."

Ari continued to watch the hatchling explore with a fond expression while she carefully pressed the two ends of her wand back together and wrapped the tape around them. Holding the slightly crooked stick up, she shrugged. "It’ll have to do." 

She hoped the Elder wand would be able to repair her holly wand a second time, though she did not relish the thought of removing it from Dumbledore’s grave. 

Carefully pointing the wand away from herself to avoid any unintended backfire, Ari uttered the least dangerous spell she could think of, "Lumos!" 

The familiar feeling of her magic responding filled her, and in an instant it was rushing down her arm, eager as always to fulfill her will, but that was where the familiarity ended. Instead of channeling out of her body through the busted wand, the magic stopped at her hand and exploded out of her palm in the brightest, most overpowered lumos she had ever cast.

Ari dropped her wand in shock, jumping back. When the spots disappeared from her vision, she raised her hand up to examine her palm, which was glowing a slightly brighter silver than it had been the first time she had looked at her new scar. 

"No way," Ari whispered, looking between her shining palm and the baby dragon with raised brows. Turning her hand to the sky, sans wand, the new rider incanted, "Incendio!" and a large torrent of white and green flames came streaming out from her palm. 

Ari laughed in delight, marveling at her newfound ability to perform powerful wandless magic. "I am such a badass," she grinned and shot another blast of fire into the sky. 

Her silver dragon jumped into the air, flapping its undeveloped wings enthusiastically and releasing a high pitched roar, excitement flowing down the bond, and Ari’s lips quirked up in an amused smile. 

"You’re a little pyro, aren’t you?" she laughed. "Also, that roar? Very intimidating," she teased. 

The dragon gave her a positively indignant look, as though it understood completely that her humor was directed at it, before it almost seemed to shrug. Moving to twine around her legs, the hatchling sent an image of her fire show down the bond accompanied by an undeniably smug sense of satisfaction, as though the magical creature was congratulating itself on choosing the best possible human to attach itself to. 

"Vainer than a cat, you are," Ari smiled, accepting the ability to effectively communicate, even if no actual language was involved, with nary a pause. "I guess you need a name now, don’t you.

"Let’s see," she said as she settled down under the shade of a massive pine tree and pulled the hatchling onto her lap. "You’ll need a name you can actually grow in to. Don’t worry, we won’t be calling you anything like _Fluffy_." The dragon cheeped in agreement.

"But first, Genus Ostendo," Ari murmured, running her marked hand along the black spikes of the dragon’s spine. She was unworried about overpowering this charm as she had her previous two because, unlike lumos and incendio, this spell was merely for detection and had no physical effect. A blue glow surrounded the diminutive reptile, and Ari cheered, "Congratulations! It’s a boy!"

"Alright so, well hang on, I’ve actually got a book on baby names in here somewhere," she informed the dragon, sticking her entire arm into the small backpack and fishing around. She looked back at the hatchling, and noticing its head was cocked as though it was trying to figure out an odd puzzle, she muttered defensively, "Luna gave it to me." 

She sat back with a grey leather bound book and started flipping through pages of names and their meanings. "We have to find you a name with a strong meaning. I’m Ariel. Ariel Lily Potter, but everyone just calls me Ari. Lily’s for my mom, like the flower. It means devotion," she explained, concentrating to send an image of a lily flower down the link. "And Ariel, which means lion of God. Go Gryffindor!" She laughed, sending more impressions of lions and Hogwarts down the bond. The longer she spoke, the easier it became to accompany her words with visuals, allowing her to send a veritable dump of mental connections she had to each word. 

"You’re coloring is obviously way too Slytherin to name you Godric, but I think we’ll pass on naming you Salazar," she grimaced slightly, Voldemort’s snakelike visage flashing through her mind. 

"Hmmm, something fit for a great fire-breathing dragon. Zeus? He was king of the skies," she suggested, before shaking her head with a smirk. "Nah, he was a womanizer, and you, mister, will not be treating any lady dragons like that. Guess that nixes Jupiter too. Let’s see, let’s see…Apollo?" She glanced over at the dragon before nodding her head. "No, you’re right. Too gold. Vulcan sorta fits, god of fire and all that, but he was crippled, so no.

"Maybe we should switch out of the Greek and Roman myths. How about Agni? He’s the Hindu god of fire." She paused when the dragon sent a slight negative feeling, wondering if he was just reacting to her own emotions regarding the names or if he truly didn’t think the name suited him. Shrugging, she continued. "Alright, so 'no' to Agni. What about Ra, the Egyptian sun god?" Again she received negative feelings.

"Really? Cuz I kinda think Ra could work. No? Well alright then. How about Loki, Norse god of mischief? Pretty sure my dad and Sirius built him a shrine back in their sixth year." Another feeling signaling 'no' was her answer. 

"Tricky customer, I see," she said, doing a poor imitation of Ollivander. "Maybe we shouldn’t go for the name of a god. They already have legends written about them, and you my dear, should get to forge your own path. Hmmm…" she scanned through the book of names, searching for something appropriate. 

"Basil? It means 'king,'" she grimaced, realizing that that was probably where basilisk had come from. "Or on second thought, maybe not. Kai? It means 'fire' in Scotland. Sol? For 'sun.' Emyr or Raja? They’re both names for 'king.'" Each name seemed to be weighed carefully, before ultimately being rejected. "Nuri, meaning 'my light or my fire'? Idris, for a 'fiery, impulsive lord'?" 

"Oh wait! Here’s a good one! Cadeyrn? It’s Celtic for 'battle king,'" she said, looking at the dragon in her lap hopefully before sighing in defeat when she ultimately received yet another rejection. 

"Alright, what about…Valdr? It’s Norse for 'power' or 'leader' or 'ruler,'" she proposed, perking up when she finally received a decisive 'yes' feeling. 

"Valdr," she grinned, enjoying the warm glow of happiness suffusing her chest even if she couldn’t quite decide whether the feeling was her own or Valdr’s. "Well my little king, you want to see about getting out of these woods? I could kill for some of Kreacher’s cooking right about now."

Ari stood up, cradling Valdr to her chest protectively, and with one last quick look to make sure she wasn’t leaving anything behind—she knew from sweaty experience retracing steps through numerous jungles that losing something valuable in the middle of nowhere was a real pain in the arse—Ari turned on the spot, Grimmauld Place pictured firmly in her mind—

"Shit!" she exclaimed as she forcefully pulled herself and Valdr out of the apparition, terror lancing back and forth through their bond. She had never encountered anything like that before. Anti-apparition wards either nullified the ability to teleport completely or they felt like running headfirst into a wall. By no means pleasant but no where near as horrifying as whatever that had been!

Normal apparition felt like being pulled through a tube that was too small, too much pressure in too many places. That had been the exact opposite. It was like there had been nothing holding her together, like the pressure of a single heartbeat was going to make her explode, and she would just keep expanding until there was nothing left.

After she finished being sick, Ari looked over at Valdr, feeling guilty as he pressed close to her, trembling. "I’m sorry Valdr," she rasped softly. "That’s not supposed to happen."

She gazed around at her surroundings more carefully now, suddenly feeling that the soaring evergreens looked a lot more ominous when she didn’t have the option of just popping away.

"Right, well," Ari murmured, feeling spooked by her darkening surroundings. "I guess we should set up the tent for the night."

She pulled the wizarding tent out of her backpack and with a negligent flick of her wrist the camping gear began assembling itself. It was a modest one compared to most, with a single large room complete with a small kitchen and the bathing facilities curtained off from the rest.

Stooping to pick up a stick, Ari placed to piece of wood over her silver palm and murmured, "Point me to the nearest city." The stick spun to point directly at Ari, and she twisted around to peer into to darkened woods behind her. "I guess we’re headed south in the morning."

It only took Ari a few more minutes to set up some basic protective wards, and she retreated to the tent, ready for a hot meal and bed. 

§§§§§

Ari stared down at the bustling seaside city from her perch atop Valdr’s spiked back at the edge of the mountainous forest. They had been slowly making their way south for the past three months, giving Valdr a chance to grow to a less vulnerable size. And grow he had. In what seemed like the blink of an eye, the dragon had gone from an adorable footlong baby only able to communicate with images and emotions to a musclebound fifteen foot long predator standing taller than a Clydesdale horse who was fully capable of articulating his thoughts. 

Things that had posed a danger to the two at the beginning of their journey, like the pack of wolves that would have killed Ari while she was napping beneath a tree in an idyllic valley if a week old Valdr had not jumped in to save her, were no longer a concern. No hunter in these woods outclassed Valdr now, and they wouldn’t dare to even try. 

" _I can set up camp here for the night and wait to go into the city tomorrow morning_?" Ari suggested, figuring it would be nearly dark by the time she managed to walk down to the city alone. It was really too bad they couldn’t risk flying in the open yet, not without knowing if the city was magical or muggle. 

" _Okay. I’m going to hunt, but I’ll be back before sundown._ "

"Have fun!" Ari shouted, jumping from his back. " _You want to go night flying later_?" she continued mentally as he leapt into the air and winged his way further into the woods. 

Valdr sent back his excited agreement, reveling in his Ari’s love of flying, before turning his attention towards finding a deer to kill. He’d been flying for nearly half an hour, tracking a sizable herd, when a flash of brilliant blue distracted him. 

Valdr spotted her from a fair distance, but from the first moment she came within his sights, he was mesmerized. She had just pounced on a dear, diving gracefully from on high to slaughter her prey, azure scales glittering in the early morning light. 

She had a form made for the air—all agile muscle and streamlined strength. And the sharpness of her claws as she shredded her prey, the way she tilted her triangular head just so, drawing his attention to the dangerous points of the horns curving over her neck.

She was magnificent! A true Queen of the Sky!

He could feel mirth like an annoying fly floating around in his head, distracting him from his contemplation. He swatted at it with a mental push, trying to decide how to approach the she-dragon. His silver scales would shimmer most brightly if he came in from the west, but perhaps he would look more ferocious if he came in with the shadows from the east? 

He gave another mental shove as his soul-partner’s laughter increased. Should he kill another deer for her, show off his own hunting skills? Or would she be insulted? He wouldn’t want to imply she was incapable of killing her own prey. Obviously, she was fierce and deadly.

" _Perhaps flowers_?" chimed the amused voice of the partner-of-his-heart.

" _Flimsy things,_ " he dismissed.

" _My baby has his first crush_!" Ari continued to tease, and Valdr huffed, annoyed at her lack of helpfulness. 

The decision on how to approach said crush was taken from Valdr, however, when the cobalt dragoness looked up from her kill and spotted Valdr hovering in the sky. She reared back, wings spread and tail lashing wildly, shock clear in every line of her body.

Her mental voice rang out, astonishment rendering the she-dragon barely coherent. " _What…Who are…HOW ARE YOU ALIVE_?" 

Beneath the obvious agitation, Valdr could detect another emotion: deep, aching hopefulness, the kind only experienced by the damned. And accompanying the words and emotions were vivid flashes of dragons falling in fire and blood, chilling Valdr to the core. 

What could have happened for this to be the blue dragon’s first reaction to seeing him?


	3. A Tragic History Lesson

" _Valdr! What’s going on?_ " Ari called out, panicked at the horror and confusion she could feel coming from the silver dragon. 

" _I don’t know,_ " his mental voice was quiet, shaken. The images of dying dragons replayed more clearly across the bond, and Ari froze.

" _Valdr, is this dragon dangerous?_ " When she got no clear response, just more bewildered alarm, she said with as much authority as she could muster, " _Valdr, luv, I need you to come back to me, okay? Fly back to me right now._ " 

Valdr almost turned to follow Ari’s order, instinctively responding to the command in her voice, but the sapphire dragon’s desperate " _Wait! Please!_ " made him stop. 

" _What happened to you?_ " he asked without thinking, feeling desperate himself. Despite Ari’s protests echoing in the back of his mind, Valdr drifted closer to the other dragon, his need for answers outweighing his caution. 

" _You don’t know?_ " the dragoness asked, sounding as nonplussed as Valdr felt. 

" _Know what?_ " Valdr growled, landing in the clearing with the blue dragon, though he maintained as much distance as the small glade would allow. 

" _How can you not…?_ " The she-dragon shook her head back and forth, seeming to shake off her confusion, and finally answered his question, though Valdr almost wished she hadn’t. " _I thought all our kin had died. That I was the last free…_ " For the first time, suspicion entered the azure dragon’s eyes. " _You are a free dragon, aren’t you?_ "

" _What? Of course I’m free!_ " Valdr jerked back, a low growl accompanying his words, offended by the very notion that he, of all creatures, would be beholden to any master. He was nothing like those masked sycophants his Ari had destroyed! 

Conversely, Valdr’s vehement, almost threatening, objection to the dragoness’s question seemed to reassure her, tension bleeding from her frame. 

" _What does she mean, all your kin have died?_ " Ari asked him privately, and Valdr repeated the question to the she-dragon, a knot of dread constricting his chest. 

" _The Fall,_ " the blue dragon said mournfully. " _The Oath-Breaker and his 13 Foresworn waged war against the Old Order a century ago. They killed every dragon who did not join them, until they were the only ones left. Now it is only Shruikan, the Black King Galbatorix’s dragon, who yet lives, enslaved though he is to his Rider. Until I saw you, I was sure I was the only free dragon alive._ "

" _No,_ " Valdr protested. " _You must be mistaken. There must be others!_ "

" _There are not,_ " she responded with a kind of hopeless certainty.

" _No! You’re wrong. You thought you were the last, but here I am. There must be more that you just haven’t met yet._ " 

" _If there are, they are deeply hidden. Too hidden for us to find. You and I, we are both only months old, but we are the first free dragons to have been seen in these lands in near a hundred years. I am sorry to be the one to tell you, but I am sure of these facts._ "

Valdr sat back on his haunches, denial and grief warring in his chest. " _I need…I need the partner-of-my-soul. She will know better what to ask. How to find our hidden kin._ " 

It did not occur to Valdr to wonder at the she-dragon’s certainty that no other dragons had been seen in nearly a century, but Ari was thoroughly perplexed. She had, after all, encountered numerous dragons herself during her time in the Wizarding World. None of Valdr’s sentient breed, but dragons all the same. Either the young dragoness was highly misinformed, or Ari’s situation was far more troublesome than she had been assuming for the past three months. Knowing her luck, it was probably the latter, and Ari dreaded to think what this could mean for her. 

" _You are bonded?_ " the cobalt dragon asked before Valdr could spread his wings and fly back to Ari, a kind of echoing excitement that felt distinctly male bleeding into her mental voice. 

" _Of course I am,_ " Valdr responded, frustrated that things he had taken for granted as basic facts of life, like the existence of other dragons and soul bonds to magical humans, were apparently not so set in stone. " _Are you not?_ " he asked, feeling great sorrow for the female dragon. Valdr could not imagine a life without his Ari. 

" _No, I am,_ " the blue dragon replied, tone warm. " _My Rider, like I, believed we were the last free bonded pair. He is very eager to meet you and your Rider. You will bring her back to this clearing, yes?_ "

Valdr blinked. Rider. What an uninspiring moniker to describe what his Ari was to him. " _Yes, we will meet you and your…soul-bonded back here shortly,_ " he confirmed to the clearly excited she-dragon and leapt abruptly into the air to fly back to Ari.

It was only a short trip to his soul-bonded, and before he knew it, Valdr was dropping down into the glade where Ari had set up camp. 

"Oh Valdr, luv," Ari whispered, hugging the silver dragon around his neck, and Valdr realized he was trembling lightly. 

" _I’m alone?_ " he asked, and even to his own perception, Valdr sounded terribly young. 

" _Nearly,_ " Ari confirmed solemnly. " _Assuming this dragon is not mistaken or mad, and she did seem very certain._ "

At this, Valdr let out a low, keening cry, grief finally overwhelming his shock. Ari wrapped herself around him tighter, both mentally and physically surrounding him with all the love and comfort she could muster, and let him mourn for a loss they were 100 years too late to prevent. 

After several long minutes, Valdr’s cries tapered off, and he sagged in a kind of depressed defeat. " _I suppose we should head back now._ "

" _Yes. We need to talk to these people so we can understand our situation. Valdr, I—_ " Ari hesitated. 

" _Yes?_ "

" _Some of the things that dragon was saying? They don’t mesh with my memories._ " An image of the Hungarian Horntail from Ari’s fourth year bled over the link. 

" _You think she may be wrong?_ " Valdr inquired hopefully, though even as he asked he knew that wasn’t what Ari was getting at. 

" _No,_ " Ari shook her head, " _I think my situation is not quite what I had thought. I believed we had somehow been transported to another part of the forest, a part that maybe had some kind of ancient ward scheme that was keeping me from apparating us._ "

" _And now?_ " Valdr prompted when she trailed off.

" _Now? I can only think of three possibilities that would explain all of this. Well four, but it can’t be time travel, not unless we’ve gone back to a time before written history, and that dragon spoke English, so that nixes that. But I don’t see how I’m ever going to see home again with any of them._ "

Valdr wrapped himself around Ari, comforter rather than comforted this time. " _What are they?_ "

Ari sighed, leaning heavily against the dragon’s scaled neck. " _Er well first, I guess that I’m on another planet somewhere lightyears away from Earth, but again, English speaking natives, so I don’t really think this is the right explanation._ "

" _What’s the second option?_ "

" _Ron told me this myth once, about the Fae, that they created a kind of pocket world on Earth, so maybe we somehow crossed the barrier. Only Hermione did a ton of research after Ron told us, and apparently the idea has been thoroughly studied and tested. Everyone agrees that the magic needed to create such a pocket universe is impossible. The whole world would, to quote Hermione, 'literally implode if anyone was thick enough to attempt it.'_ "

" _So does that just leave your third explanation, or is this possible explanation impossible too?_ " 

"It’s the only one that’s even sort of feasible," Ari murmured, ignoring Valdr’s sass. " _Muggles have this theory of alternate dimensions. Parallel universes. It’s a little sci-fi, but theoretically, it’s possible. I think I—We—are proof that it’s right._ "

" _And you think this means we will never be able to go to England?_ "

Ari nodded morosely. " _It’s just a muggle theory, one I barely know the basics about. And I’ve never been great at theory, muggle or magical. Maybe if it were Hermione stuck here, but I couldn’t figure out how to cross dimensions on purpose given 1000 years._ "

" _I’m sorry Little Lion._ "

Ari quirked a small smile at the endearment Valdr had started using as soon as he was able to look down at her instead of up. " _What a day for us, hmm,_ " Ari said sadly. 

"Yes," Valdr agreed. "And it’s not over yet. Come, we should head back to the clearing."

Ari nodded and clambered onto Valdr’s back, waving her hand to pack her things back up and calling her satchel into her outstretched hand. Her magical control had improved by leaps and bounds over the past few months—though she still wouldn’t chance shooting anything at someone she wouldn’t be okay with hurting—and her stuff was organized in relatively short order. 

" _Are we going to be staying with them tonight?_ " Valdr asked.

" _I’d rather not have to waste time packing if we have to run,_ " Ari replied, fully aware that she was channelling Mad-Eye at the moment. 

Valdr didn’t comment on his soul-bonded’s paranoia though, simply jumping into the twilit sky and turning in the direction of the valley hosting the other dragon.

Thirty minutes later they arrived and spotted the azure she-dragon now accompanied by two men. Or actually, one man and one teenager who looked to be around 17 or 18.

" _Can you see anyone else down there Valdr?_ " Ari asked. " _I thought it was just the one Rider we were meeting._ "

" _I see no one else,_ " Valdr replied to Ari before projecting his thoughts towards the occupants of the valley. " _Who is the second human?_ "

Ari snorted. " _Flattering,_ " she laughed.

" _I am Brom,_ " a gruff mental voice answered back, and the hovering pair quickly identified it as coming from the older man, so that meant the boy was the one bonded to the blue dragon. " _I’m accompanying Saphira and Eragon on their travels. I hope you do not mind my joining this conversation?_ "

Deciding that the man seemed peaceable enough, Valdr dropped down to land across from the now named Saphira. 

Ari slid off Valdr’s back and stepped forward to reply to Brom verbally. "No, that’s fine. It’s nice to meet you Brom, Eragon, Saphira," she said, nodding to each in turn. "I’m Ariel Potter, and this is Valdr."

" _It’s nice to meet you,_ " Valdr chimed in after Ari gave him the equivalent of a mental poke to the ribs. While the other three were echoing back the pleasantries, Ari took the chance to scrutinize them, feeling more confident by the second that she had been transported to some kind of alternative or parallel universe.

Dressed in fashionable wizarding hiking gear, which resembled an English horseback riding outfit with its hunter green, double-breasted jacket that fell to her knees over fitted tan pants and polished brown leather boots, all of which was spelled to repel dirt, Ari couldn’t have looked more different from the two humans standing opposite her. 

The teenager was definitely attractive, she thought, once you got past the the fact that it looked like he bathed infrequently at best; both he and the greying older man were dressed in dust covered tunics made of coarse fabric and leather breaches, like every movie of commoners in the middle ages ever. By comparison, Ari’s clean appearance and tailored clothes made her look positively posh, though she would be willing to bet she looked just as scandalous as she did rich to these two. 

The boy’s, Eragon’s, scarlet cheeks and the way his soft brown eyes couldn’t seem to stop staring at her be-pants legs only confirmed her theory. 

"So," Ari decided to get the ball rolling, "Valdr and I seem to be a tad…ignorant about our situation. What exactly is the Fall and the Old Order and the Forsworn and well, everything?" She trailed off, suddenly feeling that revealing the depth of their obliviousness may have been a strategic error. 

Eragon looked positively flummoxed by her questions, and even Saphira, for all that reading a dragon’s emotions when their was no spiritual bond to help was difficult, appeared extremely shocked. But Brom just looked at her with an unreadable expression and asked, "How did you come across Valdr’s egg?"

Figuring it was harmless enough to respond with the truth and thinking it would be a good gauge to determine how commonplace magic in this supposed new world was, Ari answered, "It just sort of appeared before me while I was out hunting for rare plants."

She made a little exploding gesture with her hands while she talked, and Eragon’s eyes went wide with recognition. "Wait! Like a big explosion? Was there a crater and loud noise and smoke?"

"Well, yes actually."

"The old legends never mentioned that happening," Eragon peered over at Brom questioningly, looking torn between boyish excitement and consternation. "Doesn’t seem like a very safe way for dragons to find their riders."

"The legends don’t mention it, boy, because that is not how it was done."

"Well there are only two dragon-rider pairs here, and that’s how it happened for us," the teenager rebutted stubbornly. 

"Argetren," Brom corrected without addressing Eragon’s point. "That’s the proper name for a dragon-rider pair when you are talking about the pair itself. It means Silver Oath. The Old Order was made up of Argetrenya, plural," he addressed the last part towards Ari and Valdr, "And The Fall refers to the war waged 100 years ago that destroyed the Old Order and almost completely decimated the dragon race as a whole." 

He watched them solemnly for several seconds before nodding and gesturing to his right. "Come. Eragon had just finished collecting some wood for a fire when you arrived. We may as well be comfortable for this conversation. If you are anything like the boy, I imagine you will have a lot of questions."

Almost two hours later, both Valdr and Ari couldn’t help but to think that Brom had been right: they did have a lot of questions, more now than before they had gotten an explanation from their new companions. 

The current king of this land was evidently the rider of a black scaled dragon that he had somehow managed to enslave by forcing a bond after his original soul-partner was killed by something called an urgal. He was apparently a genocidal sociopath who had managed to convince 13 other argetrenya to turn traitor and pretty much kill everyone who got in their way. They had ended a golden age of extreme prosperity by annihilating the alliance of dragon riders that had been charged with protecting the peace for millennia. 

It sounded like this world’s Voldemort had won, and with the death of all of the original Forsworn (most of which had gone mad after the last great act of the dragon race had rendered the traitors identity-less), Galbatorix would be looking to conscript the new argetrenya to his service. 

"That’s…a lot of information to digest," Ari muttered when Brom’s tale finally came to an end. If she hadn’t been convinced that this was some kind of parallel dimension before, she certainly was now. Maybe that’s why she hadn’t been able to apparate all those months ago. Jumping between worlds, or maybe just through space—she wasn’t really sure what the science behind all of this was—was clearly not a good idea. She’d have to sneak away from Valdr at some point and test her theory.

"I don’t suppose you know where to find a library or book store in the town over there, do you?" She asked, gesturing in the direction of the city she had been planning on visiting tomorrow. 

"You can read?" Eragon asked, looking at her wonderingly.

"Yes," she responded slowly. It struck her again that this place was pretty much stuck in the Middle Ages, and literacy was probably very low. It was actually highly unlikely that either of her new companions possessed the skill. 

Suddenly seeming worried he had offended her, Eragon started rambling. "Right. Yes, of course you can read. I mean, you’re obviously noble, or um, wealthy. I mean—" He blushed deeply and switched track. "Brom’s been teaching me to read. We’ve been visiting his friend Jeod in town, and he’s got a giant personal book collection. You can join us tomorrow, if you would like."

"Yes, that would be great. Thanks," Ari answered. She and Valdr would definitely need some form of independent corroboration for all of this, and where better to look than a book. Hermione would be so proud. 

Brom scowled mildly at Eragon before apparently judging that it wasn’t worth chastising the boy over the invitation. With a sigh he said, "We’ll head back into the city in the morning. For now, let’s try to get some sleep." And everyone quickly began preparing for bed. 

Brom’s stories had made it obvious that magic was widely accepted in these lands, even amongst this world’s 'muggles,' so Ari decided there was no reason to sleep in a sleeping bag on the the ground and pulled her tent out from her bag. With a flick of her wrist, the portable home began to assemble itself, and Ari rolled her neck to relieve some of the stress she had built up over the last few hours. She was beyond ready to climb beneath her soft sheets. 

Caught up as she and Valdr were in their shared emotional and physical exhaustion, the pair completely missed the stunned reactions their new companions had to Ari’s little display. They didn’t see the curiosity in Saphira’s frame or the fascination on Eragon’s face or the gleam of speculation in Brom’s eyes. Instead, Valdr merely curled protectively in front of the tent’s entrance after Ari disappeared beneath the cloth flap with a distracted, "'Night," called over her shoulder.


	4. A Life-Changing Decision

The next morning, Valdr came awake to the gentle thrum of Ari’s contented dreams and soft sunlight spilling over his jade-tipped silvery scales, reflecting the rays like a shimmering pond. He stretched like a cat, strong muscles quivering deliciously, and basked in the soothing emotions and the vain knowledge of the beauty his mere presence reflected on the world. 

_"Ari-Partner-of-Your-Heart seems an accomplished magician,"_ Saphira commented, and Valdr swiveled his head to stare at the dazzling she-dragon, attempting to blink the sleep-fog out of his mind. 

_"Mmmm,"_ he rumbled in agreement. _"And very brave."_ He couldn’t help but to boast. 

Saphira cocked her triangular head in reptilian amusement at his declaration. _"Who taught her to wield magic? My Eragon is new to the practice and still finds it very difficult. Her mentor must have been great indeed for her to handle the power so easily."_

 _"Little Lion has been training since she was a child,"_ Valdr answered evasively. _"She has had many teachers over the years."_

_"So her skills are not the result of one single master?"_

_"Master?"_ Valdr exclaimed, standing from his previously laconic position. _"My Ari has never had a master!"_

 _"Who but a master could so sharpen her talent into skill?"_ Saphira asked, tail thrashing in bemusement as she tried to understand the silver dragon’s clear offense.

 _"When you told us of the Black King, I was under the impression that you were against such oppression,"_ Valdr spat, disappointed he could have so misjudged the character of the beautiful azure dragoness, and angry that he felt disappointed at all.

 _"The Oath Breaker,"_ she growled back, baring her teeth and crouching low aggressively. _"You would accuse me of siding with that blackguard!"_

 _"If the shoe fits,"_ he snarled, adrenaline and protective instincts flaring as the she-dragon snapped her sharp-fanged jaws in his, and by extension Ari’s tent’s, direction. The odd phrase hardly distracted Saphira from her rage, though, as its meaning was clear enough to make her blood boil.

The noise the two large reptiles were making roused the humans, and Valdr felt Ari shuffle through his memories of the last few minutes. "Well, that escalated quickly," the witch commented blandly both mentally and aloud, stepping out of the tent to stand just behind Valdr’s left foreleg. She continued with the dual communication, hoping it would allow her to calm the situation on both fronts, "Valdr, luv, I think you have misunderstood Saphira’s use of the word 'master'." Through their mental link she also sent images of monks and martial arts students and academics alike.

The male dragon relaxed slightly as he began to comprehend his mistake, though he kept a wary eye on the still incensed Saphira. Making sure to broadcast his voice to everyone in the camp, he asked, _"There is more than one definition?"_

At his question, Saphira, too, dropped her aggressive stance, and Ari laughed lightly. "Yes, luv. It also means 'teacher' or 'expert.'"

 _"Oh,"_ he ducked his head sheepishly, mentally adding this new connotation to the word he had previously only associated with dark marks and kissing feet and beaten down house elves. 

"What just happened?" Eragon piped up, sleep rumpled and grumpy. Then he caught sight of Ari standing casual as you please in her red sleep shorts and button-up pajama set, and promptly flushed a bright crimson, wide eyes riveted to her exposed legs. 

"Just a bit of a misunderstanding," Ari replied easily. "Valdr thought 'master' only referred to someone who pretty much owns another person, like a slave, and was upset that Saphira asked who my master was."

Privately to Valdr, she continued, _"You should probably apologize for basically accusing Saphira of siding with the crazy homicidal dictator."_

Valdr sent his acknowledgement and mild irritation back down their bond before projecting to everyone, _"You never thought of it as meaning anything else."_ His slightly whiney accusation seemed to defuse any lingering tension in the clearing, and Saphira stretched back out on the ground, soaking in the sun’s warmth. Addressing the blue dragon a little shyly, Valdr continued, _"I am sorry for…slandering your character. You did not deserve my censure."_

 _"Your quick defense of your bonded was admirable,"_ she forgave him with a graceful incline of her head, only slightly haughty.

"So, uh, now that’s settled, should we all get dressed maybe?" Eragon chimed back in awkwardly, causing Brom to huff with poorly suppressed laughter. 

Ari just smirked, enjoying how easily flustered her fellow rider seemed, and turned with a nod to head back into her tent.

"You will need to put on a proper dress, girl, if you are still planning to go into the city with us today," Brom called after her.

Ari paused, looking back. Did she even own any dresses that would pass muster as proper women’s daywear? "Would full-length robes work?" She questioned.

Brom narrowed his eyes at her, and Ari didn’t miss his calculating expression. It struck her, not for the first time but certainly with the most immediacy she had yet felt, that Galbatorix could not be the only faction looking to use the new argetrenya. But Ari had no intention of putting herself at the mercy of anyone ever again; after all, even the Order of the Phoenix hadn’t had entirely benign intentions when it came to her. And if her mere existence was going to put her at the center of yet another conflict, Ari would not settle for being a pawn. She would be the queen of the chess board, even if she had to change the rules to get there. 

That meant books, and information, at least in the short term.

"You will look suspicious, but not," Brom answered sardonically, "improper."

Ari and Valdr quickly calculated the risks inherent in being noticed, especially at such an early stage in their contact with this new land, but if the pair shared a fatal flaw, it would definitely be curiosity, and they quickly managed to reason away all of their initial concerns. 

"Well, alteration charms were never a strong point of mine, so I guess we’ll have to settle for suspicious," she grinned and ducked back inside.

"Charms?" Eragon asked no one in particular.

Brom merely shrugged, though his body language didn’t indicate whether that was because he was unfamiliar with the term or simply opting not to answer. Valdr, on the other hand, was pleased that, at least with regards to magical terminology, he clearly had the upper hand, and he responded eagerly, _"Benign magic with a physical effect other than transformation. Little Lion is not very good with most household magics, like mending clothing."_

"I heard that," Ari muttered, emerging from the tent dressed in a simple set of light tan robes. 

_"You have more useful skills,"_ Valdr offered with a draconic grin, still allowing everyone to hear him. 

"Hmmm. Well, while I believe Saphira and Valdr’s discussion earlier got a little off topic," Brom broke in mildly, "I, too, would be curious to know how you learned magic, Ari. It is unusual that one of your skill level would remain anonymous for so long."

"Oh, I’ve been practicing for years," Ari replied blithely. "But I’ve never had much of a taste for fame." Which was true enough, even if it was a complete misdirect.

"But what about your teachers?" Brom pressed. "Surely at least a few of them must be masters of some renown."

She just smiled slyly at this, saying, "A magician never reveals her secrets."

Either the saying, or at least the sentiment behind the saying, was widespread here, or Brom sensed Ari’s unwillingness to discuss her past at this juncture, because he backed down after that, and breakfast passed more or less pleasantly in relative quiet. 

"So, I have a question," Eragon piped up a while later as the humans made their way towards the city that Ari had been informed was called Teirm. "Valdr keeps calling you Little Lion, and I was just wondering, what is a lion?"

Ari barked an incredulous laugh, but seeing the embarrassment beginning to creep over the other teenager’s face, she rushed to say, "I’m sorry! I promise, I’m not laughing at you. It’s just, where I’m from, it’s such a common…But it would make sense that you have never heard of a lion."

"And where are you from?" Brom broke in. 

She went quiet for a moment, scrambling to come up with a plausible answer that didn’t involve outright declaring herself an alien from another world. "England," she settled on going with as much truth as possible in the hopes that it would help her keep her story straight in the future. And to make sure all her bases were covered, she made sure Valdr was paying attention to her conversation before continuing. "We are an island nation located a very great distance from these lands. At least, I believe it must be a great distance, for I have never heard of any of our vessels landing on…Alagaësia, you called it?"

At Brom’s prompting nod, she carried on, "I told you Valdr’s egg appeared before me, but after he hatched and we bonded, some great magic pulled us to these mountains. I confess, we have been quite lost these past few months."

Silence greeted her declaration, and Ari fought to keep her hands still and relaxed, knowing full well that fidgeting with her fingers was her biggest tell whenever she was lying. Not that anything she had said was technically untrue, she reminded herself. 

"I had heard that there were kingdoms across the sea," Eragon murmured, staring at her with an almost uncomfortable amount of fascinated awe. "It is said that King Palancar hailed from one, but I never really thought—" He trailed off for a moment, before his curiosity apparently steered him back to his original inquiry. "And these lions, they are creatures from your England?" 

"They are well known in England, yes," Ari grinned, relieved at her fellow Rider’s apparent easy acceptance. "They’re great large cats and are considered the 'king of the jungle.' I can show you a picture when we get back to camp. They’re the symbol of House Gryffindor, so I’m sure at least one of my banners has a lion depicted on it."

"House Gryffindor? Is that your family name?" Eragon pressed.

"Oh, no," Ari denied. "I’m only a Champion of Gryffindor. It’s a pretty commonly held title." That may have been a slight exaggeration. Other than her, only Neville, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny had been granted the title by magic, which didn’t exactly make it common. 

"What is your family house then?"

"I am the Lady of House Potter and House Black by blood, and I hold the Ladyship to House Slytherin by conquest," she informed Eragon and a quietly listening Brom. She hoped she didn’t sound boastful sharing these details, but she was proud of her heritage and had no wish to deny it. 

"So you are noble?" Eragon asked, a blush brightening his cheeks. 

"In a sense, I suppose. Both House Black and House Slytherin claim Ancient and Noble status, but I think that’s mostly a made-up rank since they don’t really have any more power than any other house," she tried to downplay her actual standing. 

"But the titles do come with power?" Brom asked, watching her closely.

"They each come with a seat on our legislative body," she conceded. "But I don’t think our system has nobility as you would understand it."

"Why do you think that?"

"Well, the titles are completely independent of any rights to land, and there are no commoners who are born owing allegiance to one house or another. Any vassalage has to be created with an individual willingly as all such oaths can only tie the one who actually made them. Plus, hereditary seats can be won or gifted away or sold to anyone with magic."

"It sounds complicated," Eragon commented.

"It is," Ari agreed with a grateful smile. "It would take hours to explain it properly, and even then, you would probably walk away with a very limited understanding. History has honestly made England’s system needlessly complex." She was only referring to Magical Britain’s government, but there was no reason to get into all of that with her new companions. 

"You said you are the Lady of House Slytherin by conquest," Brom noted, apparently realizing she was trying to cut off the discussion about the actual establishment. His gaze was shrewd and a little wary as he asked his next question. "How did you win that title?"

Ari grimaced. She could guess why Brom would want to know that information, and she would bet that that title, standing alone, didn’t exactly paint her in the best light. "The former Lord Slytherin," she said slowly, wishing they could switch subjects, "started a very bloody civil war. I defeated him."

"You fought in a war?" Eragon exclaimed with a frankly insulting level of astonishment. 

"Yes," Ari said with a tone of finality, looking at the two males with an arched brow that practically dared them to ask more questions. 

Her message was apparently received, but they luckily arrived at the gates to Teirm before the slightly heavy quiet could descend into true discomfort.

They made it into the city without any problems, the guards not bothering to question them when there were so many traders making their way through the entrance with carts of merchandise, and several minutes later the small group was approaching a townhouse in a nicer area of town. 

"I trust that everything we have talked about will remain private," Ari stopped before they could ascend the steps to the front door, forcing Brom and Eragon to pause and turn to look at her. 

Brom inclined his head, acceding to her request without any trouble. "How would you like to be introduced?"

"Just as Ari Potter, please. Unless that is an unusual name?"

"If you are trying to make yourself seem more common," Eragon intoned, "then you shouldn’t use a house name. Only nobles do that. What was your mother’s name?"

"Lily," she answered, feeling curious. 

Eragon nodded, "Then you should be introduced as Ari Lilysdotter."

"Alright, I’ll go by that," she smiled in thanks, and moved towards the door to the townhouse.

Jeod was a stout friendly sort who let Ari into his library with nary a blink once Brom vouched for her, despite his wife’s apparent dissatisfaction with their guests, and located a comprehensive history text for her to read. _'Domia abr Wyrda'_ was an incredibly rare book. Outlawed by the king, all copies were to be burned on sight, and Ari felt the full weight of the trust being shown her when the merchant handed it over. Though Eragon had been slowly making his way through the book, he didn’t complain when it was given to Ari for the day, claiming that he could practice reading from one of the other books for a while. 

Several hours passed in tranquil peace as Ari delved into Alagaësia’s history, and it quickly became apparent that Brom had been telling the truth about everything. In fact, if anything, he had been downplaying the true tragedy these lands had been subject to in the last century. This impression was only reinforced by the answers Saphira gave as Valdr relayed her questions to the other dragon. Thousands, possibly millions, of humans, dragons, and elves alike, all slain for one madman’s quest for power. And countless others since suffering under the yolk of his reign. 

Galbatorix truly was the embodiment of everything Voldemort would have been had he succeeded. An immortal tyrant with more power in his little finger than 100 men had between them all. 

_"We can’t escape this conflict, not if we want to remain in any kind of civilization,"_ Ari communicated silently to Valdr. 

_"That is my conclusion as well,"_ Valdr agreed. _"So it looks like we have a decision to make. Do we stay with Saphira, Eragon, and Brom on whatever quest they have set themselves, knowing that they will, most likely, eventually join whatever resistance exists?"_

 _"Or do we flee to the wilderness, and hope nobody else ever learns of our existence?"_ Ari completed his thought, though they could both taste the other’s dislike of this option. It stank of cowardice. 

_"We also have one other option,"_ Valdr reminded. _"We could strike out on our own and try to find this resistance immediately."_

_"True, but I think it would be better if we went to the resistance as a united front with the only other free argetren. We’d be coming from a much greater position of power with allies like them."_

_"It seems like you have already made up your mind, Little Lion."_

_"If you agree?"_

_"Yes,"_ Valdr approved, and Ari could feel his anticipation at the idea of accompanying the beautiful sapphire dragon on their travels. 

_"You could ask Saphira now,"_ she suggested. _"I doubt either Eragon or Brom will gainsay her if she accepts our company."_

Trying to temper his excitement, Valdr withdrew slightly from their connection and turned his attention back to the other dragon. _"Saphira?"_ he called out to her. 

_"Yes?"_ she hummed lazily. They had flown together for several hours earlier, the first time either had ever flown with another dragon, and it was a joy neither would forget anytime soon. Now though, they were back to basking in the hot afternoon sun shining down on their campsite. 

_"Ari and I have been talking about our plans for the future, and we have decided we would like to accompany you on your travels, if that is okay with you?"_

_"Of course you may join us,"_ Saphira answered immediately, appearing visibly pleased by the request. Valdr doubted she had even stopped to consult with Eragon, and he wondered if they had already discussed the possibility. _"Though I must warn you, we are pursuing a dangerous enemy, and there is a good chance you could be hurt if you come with us."_

He and Ari had assumed traveling with their fellow argetren wouldn’t exactly be a safe venture, so Saphira’s warning didn’t deter them, but he was curious about this 'dangerous enemy.' _"Who do you hunt?"_

 _"The Ra’zac,"_ Saphira hissed, tone dark. _"They are hideous creatures, monsters in the dark, who prey on humans at the behest of the Black King. They murdered Eragon’s uncle, Garrow."_

_"When you say they prey on humans?"_

_"They eat them,"_ she answered, disgust thick in her voice. _"Though I confess we were not aware of that detail when we first set out after them."_

Valdr nodded, sharing in Saphira’s disgust, and immediately decided to label this species as an enemy to kill on sight, if for no other reason than the fact that their apparent diet would include his Ari. _"We didn’t expect traveling with you to be without risk,"_ he finally said. _"And this quest of yours doesn’t change our decision. We’d still like to travel with you."_

 _"I’m glad,"_ Saphira inclined her head, and Valdr felt warm at how clearly happy the other dragon seemed to be at his declaration. 

_"Never a dull moment,"_ Ari whispered over their bond, seeming torn between mirth and exasperation. _"Straight into the fire, I suppose. Let’s track down some literal man-eaters, sounds like a grand adventure."_

 _"You do seem to find trouble everywhere you go,"_ Valdr laughed back.

_"I don’t go looking for it; it finds me, and now you by extension."_

_"It will certainly be an interesting life, bonded to you,"_ he jested affectionately. Into the fire, indeed.


End file.
